Anthem of the Lonely
by Peridot15
Summary: Extremely AU. "You're a demon, Rin. Demons are immortal." So many things had been hidden from him early on but now, at eighteen, he'd thought all those secrets had finally been revealed to him. He was wrong.


"Rin . . . you're not aging."

Rin froze.

"W-what? You're kidding right, Yukio? That's not something to joke around about!"

Rin's fists clenched at the possibility. Was it possible . . . ? But how? It couldn't be true, could it? Was he really not aging?

Was he really going to be a teen . . . forever? But no! That was impossible!

Humans aged, they bled, they died—_but wait_, his mind whispered, _you're not human. _Rin's eyes widened and he stumbled back.

No. . . This couldn't be. . .

"I'm not joking, Rin," Yukio stated quietly, his eyes somber and serious.

"Just look in the mirror. We're supposed to be the same age—eighteen. I look it, but you don't. You still look like you did four years ago."

Horror invaded Rin's mind, as he stared at Yukio.

_He's not joking. . . _

"But how? _Why_? This can't happen! I can't be—"

Rin broke off, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth in anger.

_Damn Satan!_ _It's all his fault! _

He was a demon. And demons don't age. How could he have been so _stupid_?

"You're a demon, Rin. Demons are immortal."

Rin's face twisted in rage and fear, confusion and loathing.

"Damn it! That's just not—"

He cursed. Of course it wasn't fair! His life was _never_ fair.

Yukio just stared at him with dead, depressed eyes. "You have to leave," he whispered emotionlessly. "Here, take this."

He held out an old, golden key to Rin, his arm shaking and trembling—showing what his face would not. Rin looked, shocked at his brother—his one true brother; the only family he had.

"What? Why are you sending me away? We're brothers! We could get rid of this—"

"No, we can't," Yukio interrupted, his eyes staring into Rin's. They were resigned—sorry and pitying. Rin hated pity, especially from his own _brother._

"Why not?" Rin snarled, stepping menacingly towards his brother.

He thought he and Yukio were brothers! So why was he sending him away? _Why?_

"It's for your own protection. The Vatican will discover your existence if you stay much longer. Some are already suspicious—"

"_I don't care_!" Rin growled. "Let them! If I'm immortal they can't kill me anyway! I don't want to leave you; I _can't _leave you. We're brothers, damn it Yukio! We've got to look out for each other! I've got to protect you, too!"

Yukio remained silent. He looked away and pushed the key towards Rin, his hands visibly quivering. Tears leaked out of his eyes. Rin's eyes widened and he softened up, the dizzying rage draining away.

"I'm sorry, Nii-san."

* * *

"This key will send you somewhere else. I don't know where but I think you'll be safe. Just don't stay in one place for too long okay, Rin?"

"Geez, what you are? My mom?" Rin muttered, unceremoniously stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Kuro fell into stride next to him, moving slowly and softly—echoing his master's mood. Yukio was undaunted.

"Just follow the regular procedure for our keys and you should get through. Okay, Nii-san?"

Rin scowled. Even though he looked and acted younger didn't mean he was. He was the older brother, damn it! Their roles should be reversed!

_Or not happening at all . . . _

"Hai, hai," Rin replied, staring angrily at the ground.

They had no other choice. He'd tried to convince Yukio to come with him, or just travel around the world—together. But Yukio had said it was impossible, leading the two brothers to part ways.

Rin took the key, forced it into a doorknob, and turned it. He pulled the door open and noted the blue, swirling vortex bitterly before taking out the key and hurling it into a nearby lake.

"You never want to see me again, right?" he called, slamming the door shut and catching one last glimpse of Yukio's distraught, guilt-ridden face.

Rin crossed his arms, trying not to think of the last image he'd seen of Yukio.

This was his fault, not Rin's—Yukio was the stubborn one here! Rin had tried to compromise; he'd even _pleaded_ with Yukio but that hard-headed bastard just didn't want to listen!

He snarled, anger threading through his body. But even through all of that, he couldn't push it out of his head—couldn't push out the guilt that swarmed his thoughts. His arms slipped as dread—regretful, bitter dread—suffocated him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, angrily trying to shove it out of his head. But his heart betrayed him.

_That's how Yukio will remember about you now, _a snarky voice taunted from the back of his mind, _your bitter, cutting words_.

Rin gripped his head and he shook it furiously.

No! That wasn't his intention—that wasn't . . . Yukio wouldn't. . . A ton of brick dropped on his shoulders.

Rin's tough visage collapsed and he fell to his knees within the blue, swirling portal. A tear, then another, slipped through his guard as one chilling thought echoed throughout his head.

_What have I done?_

* * *

**AN: **So how was it?

Like the summary says, this is _extremely_ AU. Rin was never exposed as a son of Satan and Yukio never awakened his demonic side. I hope this explanation clears up any confusion.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

~Peridot15:)


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